Vienna is the best city in the world, but you’d never know it from the grumpy Viennese. In order to take advantage of the festivals, exhibitions, and simple beauty –you’ve got to:
1) face the possibility of bad weather
2) leave your neighborhood, possibly even having to transfer lines
3) break a routine or two
It’s often the case that people can live in a place for years without visiting the major tourist attractions until a guest arrives, but the Viennese seem especially proud of isolating themselves in a particular district and avoiding changes in the routine. Even the big festivals and cultural events are part of a set routine, changing little from year to year. This explains why the attendance at the new Weiner Wiesn is 20% foreigners. The other 80% are probably from out of town.
The tourists are taking pictures of us!
Sunday we took the train out to the Kamptal region and hiked to the Rosenburg Castle for a knights tournament. We made the mistake of following a young knight and princess who looked like they knew where they were going and ended up on the road instead of the much shorter hiking trail. We arrived during the first tournament and cheered on the knights as they speared wild boat, sliced at cabbage and apples, and jousted.
Boar on Wheels!
We ate traditional medieval food like cheese bread and käsekrainers (cheese filled sausage) and bought a sheepskin. The weather was fantastic and the setting gorgeous. It was a perfect day and we clambered down the right trail back to the station and town exhausted.
Seriously, how can you miss this sign?
Monday morning I set off on the Otto Wagner walking tour with Grandma and crossed town back and forth following Otto Wagner’s architectural impact on the city, particularly on the transportation system. The theme was: Vienna pretends like they always honored Otto Wagner, but the truth is that the city planned to demolish this ( pavilion, station, bridge) and it was barely saved by some technical students in the (50s,70s,90s). I won’t look the same at infrastructure again!
Otto Wagner building adorned with Laurel leaves
On Wednesday we went to the Zoo. Most of the other visitors were speaking in Russian. The weather was pleasant and the penguins were especially delightful.
Elegant Vienna residents going about their daily routines
Even though I’ve been dozens of times I’m still amazed. It was Lee’s first trip and his eyes got huge when he saw the elephants.
On Friday we went to the Circus Roncalli. Acrobats, Clowns and Ponies make for a splendid show. I spent the entire three hour performance pacing the top walkway, where it was only loud and not very loud for the baby. After a terrifying beginning Leo slept through the whole thing. This episode actually reflects that I am crazy for bringing a baby to the circus and not that the Viennese are too busy sipping coffee and buying bread to enjoy the circus, although that is also true. Allison loved it and even though she’s not even 3 I wouldn’t be surprised if the memory stays with her.
The days in between we went to the park, read the newspaper, went shopping, had coffee, did laundry, and even went out for dinner — all the perfectly normal things that are perfectly delightful as part of a normal routine, which I guess would be enough if there wasn’t all the other stuff to do, but there is a lot going on and if the locals aren’t going to participate I guess it’s up to me.
@laurel 